Edited men arrive at home for tears of joy in Bangkok

Five workers of the Thai farmers launched by Hamas in Gaza last month arrived at home in Bangkok, after spending nearly 500 days in captivity.

Pongsak Thanna, Sathian Suwannakham, Watchara SRIAON, BanNawat Saithao and Surasak Lamnao all working in southern Israel when they were kidnapped during Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.

There were emotional scenes on Sunday morning, as the five men embraced their relatives in the arrival hall of Bangkok Sofarnabumi.

Mr. Pongsak said: “I don’t know how to put it in words,” said Mr. Pongsak.

“I would like to thank all the officials who participated in helping us until we stand here.

“We will not be here without helping us. We are very happy to return to our homeland. I am really grateful.”

Foreign Secretary Maris Sanjamebongsa said it was “very inspiring” to witness their return After their release on January 30.

Setho, the father of Mr. Banouou, said that he was “very happy” and that his family will welcome his son at home with a traditional Thai party.

“I don’t think I want him to be far from home again,” his father told AFP.

He added that Mr. Banouat moved to Israel nine months before his kidnapping in search of better income for the family.

His wife, Yiada Saitaw, told Thai BBC that the 15 months detained her husband, as a period of suffering.

“Don’t be afraid anymore. We are at home now. We are in Thailand. We go home,” she said.

After landing in Bangkok at 07:30 local time (00:30 GMT), the five small group of relatives and government officials met.

They spent 10 days in an Israeli hospital so that their health can be monitored.

The five men will now make their way to their cities.

Boonsong Tapchayut, an official at the Ministry of Labor, said that all hostages will get one time batch of about 14,510 pounds (600,000 Thailan to Israel, said Boonsong Tapchayut, an official at the Ministry of Labor.

One of the Thai hostages is still imperceptible to.

“As for the sixth Thai hostage that is still in Gaza, we never refrain from work, and we still have hope and we will do anything until we succeed.”

Last month, after handing over the five hostages in Khan UNis, Thai Prime Minister Betongarne Chinawatra said it was “joyful” because they were outside the families.

Israel, as well as Qatar, Egypt, Iran, Turkey and the United States, thanked their work to secure publications.

A total of 46 Thai workers have been killed since October 2023, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok, the majority in the Hamas attack and Some of them are rockets launched by the Hezbollah group in Lebanon.

Hamas seized 251 hostages and killed about 1,200 people when Israel attacked October 7, 2023, which led to the Gaza war.

At least 4,700 Palestinians were killed in the Israeli attack, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health in Hamas. The United Nations says that about two -thirds of Gaza buildings have been damaged or destroyed by Israel’s attacks.

The firing of Thai hostages is not part of the Humas ceasefire deal on January 19, according to which 21 Israeli hostages and 566 Palestinian prisoners have been released so far.

By the end of the first stage of the ceasefire within three weeks, 33 hostages and 1900 prisoners are expected to be released. Israel says that eight of the 33 died.

Additional reports from ThanyArat DOKSONE.